Leaders for DeKalb School District 428 soon will consider whether changes may be in order for plans to build a new Early Learning Development Center.

Plans for a new standalone building serving preschool students ages 3 to 5 have been identified by the district as a priority.

The ELDC program is currently housed in 10 classrooms at Huntley Middle School.

Officials have said they need more space to better serve the community’s needs and expand child care options in DeKalb County.

Board President Chris Boyes said district staff have been debating the idea of scaling back the project.

“I still have very big concerns about us doing a 20-room building over 24,” Boyes said Tuesday. “We, as a board, approved 24.”

This past fall, the DeKalb School District 428 board approved a measure that essentially spells out how the district intends to build a new ELDC with up to 24 classrooms.

At an April 7 board meeting, however, some officials questioned whether they needed to make an amendment to revise how many classrooms may be built. Around that time, district staff was weighing the idea of scaling back the project over staffing concerns to include space for 20 classrooms instead of 24.

Boyes said he has concerns about constructing a smaller building.

“It is not the board or students’ problem for us to staff it,” Boyes said. “That is the administration’s job to fill those rooms, so we can take care of the number of students that are on that wait list. As I mentioned before, we didn’t build the high school big enough. We didn’t build Mitchell big enough.”

Kyle Gerdes said the challenge remains an ever-growing student population.

“I’m just going to be honest, I’ve been in this job five years, and I don’t think I would have predicted some of the growth that we’ve seen over those five years, either, in certain pockets,” Gerdes said. “What we are meaning to do is design something that’s going to meet our needs as we protect them now.”

The projected cost of the ELDC build could rise by $3.75 million, up from $38 million, district documents show. A final vote hasn’t yet been taken.

Officials said the added costs would come from fund balance and funding earmarked in the district’s share of revenue from the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone.

Board Member Mark Charvat said he’s uncomfortable with how the district is approaching how to pay for the new build.

“There’s a chance that if we did add this extra money, it’d take away from our Vision For28,” Charvat said.

Vision For28 is a larger district initiative aimed at reducing middle school class sizes and embarking on facility improvements to ensure buildings are better able to serve students’ needs. It, too, relies on revenue generated from the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone.

Tammy Carson, the district’s director of facility safety and operations, said the time is now for board consideration.

“This is not a quick 10-week summer project,” Carson said. “This is going to be a significant disruption to the students, the staff, the families.”

Incoming Superintendent Billy Hueramo said the district needs to be mindful going forward about its maximum abatement and underlevying practices.

“That’s going to be something that we’re going to have to think about as a school board,” Hueramo said.

The district said its goal is to open up a new ELDC by the fall 2028, without interrupting summer school programming.

Carson said a delayed opening could be a possibility.

A board vote, along with more discussion on this topic, is expected at a special meeting on April 29.